Facts and analysis

It is impossible to reflect on 2020 without discussing Covid-19. The term, literally meaning corona- (CO) virus (VI) disease (D) of 2019, has become synonymous with “the virus”, “corona” and “the pandemic”. The impact of the virus on our lives is unprecedented in modern human history, in terms of scale, depth and resilience. When compared to other epidemics that have plagued the world in recent decades, Covid-19 is often referred to as being much more “deadly” and is associated with advances in technology which scientists have described as “revolutionary”. From politics to economics, spanning families and continents, Covid-19 has unsettled norms: cultural clashes are intensified, politics are even more polarized, and regional tensions and conflicts are on the rise. Global trade patterns and supply chains are increasingly being questioned and redrawn. The world is being atomized, and individuals are forced to accept the “new normal” in their routines. In an attempt to combat the virus and minimize its detrimental effects, countries have undertaken different preventive strategies and containment policies. Some have successfully curbed the spread of Covid-19, while many others remain in limbo, doing their best to respond to outbreaks in cases. To gain a better understanding of how to fight Covid-19, it is imperative to evaluate the success and failures of these approaches. Under what conditions is an approach successful? When should it be avoided? How can this information be used to avoid future pandemics? This volume offers informative comparative case studies that shed light on these key questions. Each country case is perceptively analyzed and includes a detailed timeline, allowing readers to view each response with hindsight and extrapolate the data to better understand what the future holds. Taken as a whole, this collection offers invaluable insight at this critical juncture in the Covid-19 pandemic. “In the ‘post-truth’ era, such careful documentation of the facts is especially welcome.” Dr Tania Burchardt Associate Professor, Department of Social Policy London School of Economics and Political Science “The end is not yet in sight for the pandemic but in these pages the key factors in its development and some possible solutions for the future are laid out in ways that make it indispensable reading.” Prof David S. G. Goodman Professor of China Studies and former Vice President, Academic Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou “This book is an important and groundbreaking effort by social scientists to understand on how states have been managing the crisis.” Kevin Hewison Weldon E. Thornton Distinguished Emeritus Professor University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill “This is exactly the kind of research that will contribute to our fight against Covid-19.” Tak-Wing Ngo University of Macau “A well-researched book on Covid-19 highlighting the value of the meticulous fact-based groundwork by an international team.” Carlson Tong, GBS, JP Former Chairman, Securities and Futures Commission, Hong Kong Chairman, University Grants Committee, Hong Kong